"If only they had been able to grasp the larger scope of God's plan for them sooner! Yet how could they, in the midst of their temporal suffering, perceive that often God's infinite answers to our finite prayers reach their victorious fulfillment only through His work in generations to come? As His ways are higher than our ways, so is the inexhaustible depth of His plan for reconciliation beyond the limited vision of our earthbound eyes." - Michael Phillips

This week has got my head spinning in circles.  Mainly because of  the US general election (it's my first time to vote in one of these...only 18ish more to go. This is why people don't live terribly long lives...), but with the election comes all sorts of other thoughts, and I would write them all down, but I wouldn't even know where to begin. Besides, I'm fairly certain everyone is sick and tired of hearing everyone's opinions already. There's enough screams to go around - screams of anger/mourning and screams of glee and rejoicing.  At least, to me, it feels like they're screams; whether they are or not. My reaction hasn't been in either of those camps. I'm surprised. Yep, mostly surprised. And I'm grieved at how divided we, as a country, are. How hate-filled both sides are - I honestly didn't want to vote for either sides before the election because of that. I did not feel either side truly represented me.

I got the feeling that both candidates must really hate America since their campaigns mostly consisted of how awful the other person and his/her supporters are. Did they really expect us to come together after the election? The reactions to this election don't surprise me. I get the feeling that each election will leave us more and more disjointed at this rate. Something has to change, but it won't unless people really, truly change, and how can we since our natural bent is towards everything ugly and detestable? Either I'm a racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. etc. bigot or I'm a superior, politically correct, etc. etc. libtard. Pick your insults cause there is no middle ground.

It's a messy place out there right now. In times like these, you realize just how broken everything is. I'm planning to hide under my rock (okay, not literally...) till the storm blows over because my personality was not made for this sort of thing. I hate being misunderstood. I get too emotional too quickly if I try to discuss things. I would seriously give up on this thing if I didn't have faith in something bigger than myself and all the other flawed human beings in existence. This I know - before the election I prayed not that the candidate I voted for would win, but that God's will would be done. If it's God's will, what does it matter if it isn't ours? We play our small parts, but God is the Blessed Controller of ALL Things. That grants us true confidence. We do not have to put our hope and trust in flawed human beings who cannot save us. And all my hope, every ounce, is in God.

On another note, if the results of one election is going to make you move to Canada, what made you love your country in the first place? I really, really want to know the answer to this question.

Also, another randomness, would you rather be loved with a love that sees no fault in anything you do or loved with a love that loves in spite of your faults?

I started writing a blogpost last night, but I only got as far as "October is gone." before I stopped. I was forced to by some peppers I had cut up to put into a hamburger soup for dinner coming back to take vengeance. They were just some Banana peppers which are suppose to mild, but my hands were set aflame with burning and continued to burn much of the night. Not even aloe vera made them better, but here I am, attempting again to get this post done.


Anyways, I rather like October, and not just because it's my Birthday month. Even though Autumn technically keeps going until the middle of December, I always feel like October is the most Autumnish month. The trees are changing colors all through the month, then in November, they fall. And it's gray. And dark. And cold. Till snow falls, covering everything in a beautiful garment of white. Then it's Winter; whether or not it's still technically Fall. But now I'm getting ahead of myself. These are some random photos I took on my phone throughout October:

This, ladies and gentlemen, is my favorite chicken (No particularly reason other than that she is cute), Coriander. Here, however, her beauty and cuteness has been stolen because she is molting. It can be quite an embarrassing process for chickens. Pretty much everyone picks on them, and they want to disappear off the face of the earth. It's sad, in a comical way.

When I was growing up, my dad used to make five loaves of bread every week, but sometimes mom would steal one of the loaves and make it into cinnamon rolls instead. Well, I'm the bread baker now, and I decided to do the same. Have to say they were some of the best cinnamon rolls I've had for awhile.

Just a little bit of Autumn around the property. You can't hardly tell, but this is the pond. It's just beside the loop I take the dog on every morning and evening.

Another place on the loop. Such an interesting contrast, right? Beautifully yellow trees and then the sagebrush and cheat.

It's not the best picture, but this barn is getting close to at least 90 years of age. My great-grandpa either bought the property with it already there in the 1920s or built it. It's a bit sad. They're trying to decide what to do with it.

Another old building from way back when. There's nothing I love taking pictures of  better than old buildings and landscape. I've been taking pictures of it for the last six years in different weathers and seasons. I have a better one on my actual camera, but sometimes it's easier to get photos from my phone into these posts than from my camera.

Just out our front door. Gives you a little bit of an idea how Autumn looks in the pear orchard. Gorgeous view.

Now this may seem a little weird, but I love mushrooms. Well, I don't love eating them. I just find them really fascinating. They seem so unreal.

And this year they've appeared everywhere. All different kinds. It might be because we had 3 inches of rain in October rather than our normal 0.5. There's a mushroom club in town, and every October they have a mushroom show with all the mushrooms they've found in the county. We went last year for the first time. It was pretty cool. This year we couldn't because of a previous engagement.

This isn't a lovely looking food, but I was working on doing meal planning a little better the past two weeks, and I made this: A Chickpea, Butternut Squash, Coconut Curry. It was good in spite of its appearance and the fact it had Cilantro (evidently whether cilantro tastes good to you or not really depends on your genetics). Plus, crockpot.

As I was trying to get back into the habit of art, I had a few false starts (including the eye I posted a picture of awhile back), but I'm hoping to get somewhere with this. Just pastels, but I love pastels.

We were heading to Portland for a wedding, and we stopped somewhere. I love moss. It's so cool and weird.

This is from Oregon looking back across the Columbia River at Washington.

Multnomah Falls in Oregon. I have a better picture on my camera I might post of the whole thing. This is just the top. Very beautiful place.

I can't believe I'm showing you a picture of my face in a so-so selfie. You can't even tell my (I'm on the left) hair has red lowlights. Anyway, selfie at the wedding.

There was a large gazebo where the reception (meal and dancing) took place. Just thought it was so cool.

It was in Portland, Oregon. This place is called The Victorian Belle. It was built in the late 1800s.  It's crazy big and fancy, but most of the wedding occurred outside (it was cold enough to turn into an icicle, but then, I walked in the grass, and my feet got cold...so that was kinda the end).

This was the actual backdrop for the wedding. If I ever own a house, I'd really like for it to have a porch all around the outside...or the majority of the outside.

Finally last Sunday, we went up as tradition to see the Fall colors along the river and the Tamarac trees on the pass. It was a cloudy, rainy day but still beautiful. For one section, I had my window down and was taking pictures out of it...as the rain and cold came in. Ended up kinda freezing myself. Haven't looked at the pictures from my camera for that, though...There was an area where the contrast in colors made it just so beautiful. At the top of the pass, the fog was very thick, and the workers were out preparing for the coming snow by putting 10 ft. poles on the guard rails so the snowplows know where the edge of the road is. This highway is the defense highway so they have to keep it open all Winter long.

I hope you guys had a lovely October!

"...I'm a little kid, and so are you
Don't you go and grow up before I do
I'm a little kid with so much doubt
Do you want to be there to see how I turn out?"

I found this song along with a few others in a Noisetrade sampler (if you don't know what this is, go google it. Noisetrade is an awesome website. I've found so many good artists on there, and they are all ones that you probably haven't heard of. You help them build a fan base by giving them your contact information, and you get a sample of their songs). The first few listens of this song left me with the impression that it was catchy but not much else. Now it's growing on me.

Afterthought: Most of the music I listen to doesn't sound like this ;)